Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. piscivorus
Southeastern United States, ranging from Virginia down through Florida and west to eastern Texas and parts of Oklahoma, predominantly in coastal plains and low-lying wetland regions.
Look up Cottonmouth in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. piscivorus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, facing local threats mainly from habitat destruction, vehicular mortality, and deliberate human persecution.
Physical Description
Heavy-bodied snake with dark crossbands or blotches over a brown or olive background, blocky triangular head distinct from the neck, vertical elliptical pupils, prominent facial pits between eye and nostril, and keeled dorsal scales.
Size & Dimensions
Adult specimens commonly range from 60 to 120 cm (24 to 47 inches) in total length, with maximum lengths exceeding 180 cm (70 inches).
Habitat
Semi-aquatic environments including the borders of ponds, lakes, slow-moving streams, swamps, marshes, and cypress/gum swamps, often basking on logs, branches, or muddy banks.
Diet & Feeding
Generalist carnivore eating fish, frogs, small mammals, birds, reptiles, and occasionally invertebrates; hunts primarily by ambush or active foraging along water edges.
Reproduction
Viviparous (live-bearing), giving birth to litters typically ranging from 1 to 20 young in late summer or early autumn, usually mating in spring.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, facing local threats mainly from habitat destruction, vehicular mortality, and deliberate human persecution.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important role in wetland ecosystems as both predator and prey; frequently features prominently in regional folklore and wildlife documentaries of the American South.
Notable Features
Noted for its distinctive display where it coils its body, opens its mouth wide to reveal the stark white interior, and vibrates its tail rapidly against the substrate.